Re: Youngest 20th century MOH winner: I'd never heard of him

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:10:48 GMT, Ejucaided Redneck

<rlsloan@mindspring.com> wrote:

>This guy, a WW II Medal of Honor winner, was mentioned in a WMKY news

>story this morning because he was in Louisville, where he was a)

>promoting his book and b) speaking out _against_ the current war.

>

>You gotta do something entirely crazy to get the MOH, and when I looked

>him up, I found out he was a lot crazier than most. One reviewer of his

>book --a former Marine-- had never heard of Lucas, and guessed it was

>because he was something of a problem for the service before he got his

>medal.

>

>I clipped this for a friend and thought at least a few in this group

>might want to see it too.

>

>

>

>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

>Jacklyn Harrell Lucas

>born February 14, 1928

>Medal of Honor recipient

>Nickname Jack

>Place of birth Plymouth, North Carolina

>Allegiance USMC

>Years of service 1942-1945

>Rank Private First Class

>Unit 1st Battalion 26th Marines

>Battles/wars Battle of Iwo Jima

>Awards: Medal of Honor (1945) Purple Heart

>Private First Class Jacklyn Harrell Lucas (born 1928) was a United

>States Marine who earned the Medal of Honor during the Iwo Jima campaign

>for unhesitatingly hurling himself over his comrades upon one grenade

>and for pulling another one under himself. One of the grenades exploded

>and Lucas absorbed the entire blasting force of it with his own body.

>

>Private First Class Lucas, the youngest Marine ever to receive the

>United States' highest military decoration, was presented the award by

>President Harry S. Truman at the White House on Friday, 5 October 1945.

>

>Jacklyn Harrell Lucas was born in Plymouth, North Carolina on 14

>February 1928. He attended high school at nearby Salemburg and was

>captain of the football team. He was an all-around sportsman, also

>taking part in baseball, softball, basketball, boxing, wrestling,

>horseback riding, trap and skeet shooting, and hunting.

>

>Although only 14 years of age, muscular build, five feet, eight inches

>high, weighing 180 pounds, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve

>without his mother's consent on 6 August 1942. He gave his age as 17,

>and went to Parris Island, South Carolina, for recruit training.

>

>During his rifle training Pvt Lucas qualified as a sharpshooter. He was

>next assigned to the Marine Barracks, U.S. Naval Air Station,

>Jacksonville, Florida. In June 1943, he was transferred to the 21st

>Replacement Battalion at New River, North Carolina, and one month later

>he went to the 25th Replacement Battalion, where he successfully

>completed schooling which qualified him as a heavy machine gun crewman.

>He left the continental United States on 4 November 1943, and the

>following month he joined the 6th Base Depot of the V Amphibious Corps

>at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was advanced to private first class on 29

>January 1944.

>

>With statements to his buddies that he was going to join a combat

>organization, PFC Lucas walked out of camp on 10 January 1945, wearing a

>khaki uniform and carrying his dungarees and field shoes in a roll under

>his arm. He was declared absent without leave (AWOL) when he failed to

>return that night and a month later, when there was still no sign of

>him, he was declared a "deserter," and a reward offered for his

>apprehension. He was also reduced to the rank of private at that time.

>

>He stowed away on board the USS Deuel which was transporting units of

>the 5th Marine Division into combat. He surrendered to the senior troop

>officer present on 8 February 1945 dressed in neat, clean dungarees. He

>was allowed to remain, and shortly after he was transferred to

>Headquarters Company, 5th Marine Division. He reached his 17th birthday

>while at sea, six days before he earned the Medal of Honor.

>

>On the day following the landing at Iwo Jima, he was creeping through a

>twisting ravine with three other men of his rifle team when the Japanese

>opened a hand grenade attack on them. The men jumped into two shallow

>foxholes. Lucas pushed a thrown hand gernade into the volcanic ash and

>covered that grenade, along with another with his body. He was left for

>dead by his companions, although he was miraculously still alive.

>Severely wounded in the right arm and wrist, right leg and thigh, and

>chest, Pvt Lucas had undoubtedly saved his companions from serious

>injury and possible death.

>

>He was evacuated to the hospital ship 'Samaritan', and then treated at

>various field hospitals prior to his arrival at San Francisco,

>California on 28 March 1945. He eventually underwent 21 operations. The

>mark of desertion was removed from his record in August of that year

>while he was a patient at the U.S. Naval Hospital at Charleston, South

>Carolina.

>

>He was discharged from the Marine Corps Reserve because of disability

>resulting from his wounds on 18 September 1945, following his

>reappointment to the rank of private first class.

>

>In addition to the Medal of Honor, PFC Lucas was awarded the Purple

>Heart; Presidential Unit Citation; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with

>one bronze star; American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory

>Medal.

>

>Medal of Honor citation

>

>The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

>MEDAL OF HONOR to

>

>PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JACKLYN H. LUCAS

>UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

>

>for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

>

>For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above

>and beyond the call of duty while serving with the First Battalion,

>Twenty-sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division, during action against enemy

>Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands 20 February 1945. While

>creeping through a treacherous, twisting ravine which ran in close

>proximity to a fluid and uncertain front line on D-plus-1 Day, Private

>First Class Lucas and three other men were suddenly ambushed by a

>hostile patrol which savagely attacked with rifle fire and grenades.

>Quick to act when the lives of the small group were endangered by two

>grenades which landed directly in front of them, Private First Class

>Lucas unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon one grenade

>and pulled the other one under him, absorbing the whole blasting force

>of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from

>the concussion and murderous flying fragments. By his inspiring action

>and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, he not only protected his comrades

>from certain injury or possible death, but also enabled them to rout the

>Japanese patrol and continue the advance. His exceptionally courageous

>initiative and loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Private First

>Class Lucas and the United States Naval Service.

>

>/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

>

>--

>I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to

>protect some lousy investment of the bankers.

>There are only two things we should fight for.

>One is the defense of our homes and the other

>is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason

>is simply a racket...

> --- MajGen Smedley D. Butler, USMC

Pfc. Lucas was infused with the incredible optimism of youth. I was

glad to read that he is alive and apparently well.

Max